Whisky aging device



July 30,1940. pR 2,209,474

WHISKY AGING DEVICE I .g- 26 2/ Z, 26' Y 2 I 4y a? /7 i 20 4 24 7 I 4 4 /7 v /7 Inventor E. B. PRICE WHISKY AGING DEVICE July 30, 1940.

Fiied April '7, '1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A tiorneys July 30, 1940.

E. B. PRICE 2,209,474

WHISKY AGING DEVICE Filed April 7, 1939 s Sheets-Sh eet s Inventor A itomeys Patented July 30, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT or ies 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in means for accelerating the aging of whisky, brandy, etc., and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this character which is adapted to be'expeditiously inserted in a barrel or cask through the usual bunghole thereof for operation.

"Another very important object of the inventio 1.4) is to provide a whisky aging device of the character described comprising a pneumatic turbine of a novel construction and arrangement for actuating a plurality of agitators.

, Still another important object of the invention IQ is to provide an aging device of the aforementioned character embodying novel means through the medium of which the whisky may be warmed or heated.

A still further important object of the invention is to provide a whisky aging device of the character set forth embodying means whereby air may be introduced into the whisky if desired. Other objects of the invention are to provide a whisky aging device which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly efficient and reliable in use, compact, light in weight and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein: v

Figure l is a view in side elevation of a whisky aging device constructed in accordance with the present invention. 1

Figure 2 is a view in vertical section through the machine.

Figure 3 is a view in horizontal section, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. v

Figure 4 is a view in horizontal section, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Figure 5 is an elevational view of the lower portion of the device, showing the agitators in inoperative position for insertion in or removal from the barrel.

50 Figure 6 is a detail view in elevation of the hook which may be used for swinging the agitators to the position shown in Fig. 5 for removing the device from the barrel.

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view through 5 an intermediate portion of the device, taken substantially on the line 1-1 cf Fig. 1, showing the heating means.

Figure 8 is a detail view in horizontal section through the heating means, taken substantially on the line 88 of Fig. 7. 5,

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a pneumatic turbine which-is designated generally by the reference numeral I. eludes a-casing 2 of suitable metal'having a removable upper portion 3. Handles 4 project from the upper portion 3 of the casing 2. Projecting from diametrically opposite sides of the casing-2 are inlet and outlet nipples 5 and 6, respectively.

An air hose J from a suitable source of supply is connected to the nipple 5. If desired, a suitable control valve andgauge may be connected with the air hose I. E a

- J ournaled in the casing 2 and extending down- 5") wardly therefrom is a vertical shaft 8 of any suitable metal. Extending through the .shaftz8 is an air passage 9. A thrust bearing assembly l0 supports the shaft 8 at its upper end on the antifriction bearing in the plug l2. 35

Fixed on the lower end portion of the shaft is a collar 16. The reference numeral ll designates a plurality of agitators in the form of bars having one end pivotally connected to the collar I6 for swinging movement. Splined on an 40 intermediate portion of the shaft 3- is a collar Hi. Links I9 connect the agitators Al to the collar l8 for actuation thereby. 'A stop 20 on the shaft 8 limits the downward sliding movement of the collar l8 to the position shown in Fig.2 of the drawings. Rising from the collar it are substantially U-shaped loops 2! the purpose of which will be presently set forth; 1

Extending slidably through passages which are provided therefor in the plug 82 are flexible tubes 22 and 23. The tubes 22 and 23 extend adjacent diametrically opposite sides of the shaft 8 and are connected with each other at their lower ends by a tubular ring 24 which slidably en- The turbine l. in-

circles said shaft. A steam hose 25 is connected to the tube 22.

It is thought that the operation of the device will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, the agitators I! are swung or folded to inoperative position parallel to the shaft 8, as seen in Fig. 5 of the drawings, to permit the insertion of the device in a whisky barrel through the usual bunghole thereof. After the device is thus inserted in the barrel the collar l8 slides downwardly on the shaft 8 and the agitators l1 swing outwardly to operative position, as seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The plug 12 is then engaged in the bunghole, thus closing the barrel. Loops 26 are provided on the lower portion of the casing 2 to facilitate the attachment to said casing of chains, hooks or the like (not shown) which may be connected to the ends of the barrel for securing the device in position. The air is then turned. on for driving the turbine I, thus rotating the shaft 8 with the agitators IT thereon at the desired speed. Air may be injected into the whisky through the passage 9 in the shaft 8. This air may leak upwardly through the bore [3 around the shaft 8 in the plug [2 and escape through the vent Hi. If it is desired to heat the whisky to further accelerate the aging thereof steam is turned on in the hose 25 and passes downwardly through the tube 22, through the tubular ring 24 and then up and out through the tube 23. Although the device is primarily intended to be used for aging whisky it may, of course, be used for any other purpose for which it may be found adapted and desirable such, for example, as a means for agitating water in a barrel or other container when washing it, etc. In Fig. 6 of the drawings, the reference numeral 21 designates an elongated hook. To remove the device from the barrel the plug I2 is lifted out of the bunghole and raised sufficiently to permit the insertion of the hook 21 for engagement with one of the loops 2| on the collar I8. In this way the collar i8 may be pulled upwardly on the shaft 8 for folding the agitators I1 inwardly to inoperative position to permit their passage through the bunghole.

It is believed that the many advantages of a whisky aging device constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood and although a preferred embodiment of said device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

A whisky aging device for aging whisky in a barrel comprising a pneumatic turbine, an elongated shaft keyed to said turbine and extending therefrom, said shaft being provided with a longitudinal bore extending throughout its length, a plug adapted to close the bunghole of said barrel, said plug having a central longitudinal bore through which said shaft extends, said plug also being provided with a transverse vent port connecting the central bore of the plug with the outer wall of the plug, said plug being removably attached to the casing of said turbine, a collar keyed to said shaft at its outermost extremity, a second collar slidably splined to said shaft intermediate of its length, agitator bars pivoted at one end to the first of said collars, connecting links pivoted at one end to the second of said collars, said connecting links and said agitator bars having their opposite ends pivotally connected, a pair of loops extending from the second of said collars coacting with a lifting tool to raise said collar and collapse said agitator bars and connecting links to permit the withdrawal of the device through the bunghole of the barrel, and a heating element having a pair of longitudinal tubes connected by a tubular ring surrounding said shaft, said tubes extending through the curvate bores of the plug, said tubes and said ring being adapted to have steam circulated therethrough, said central bore in said shaft and said vent port in said plug coacting to allow air to be passed into the barrel and vented therefrom.

EVERETT B. PRICE. 

